Method and apparatus for packaging



W. F. PODGORSKl METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING Dec. 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 Dem 1958 w. .F. VFIODGOR'SKI I 2,864,217

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING Filed Janl 10, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 9v 3 3 @V .Q A P. u \QQ o ow EL), mt ww mm mm mm 5 mv 9 v A ll Z I I 1 w 2 /4 n A IIIIIMMU r x mum Hi J rH A on M v n A A n GE 9 Dec. 16, 1958 w. F. PODGORSKI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 mam Dec. 16, 1958 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 W. F. PODGORSKI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING Walter F. Podgorski, Preakness, N. J., assignor to P. Ballantine & Sons, Newark, N. .I., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 10, 1958, Serial No. 708,300

5 Claims. (Cl. 53123) This invention relates to an apparatus and method for dividing paper board containers into halves. In particular it relates to an apparatus and method for dividing collapsible paper board containers adapted to contain a plurality of cans or similar articles into two equal parts prior to the packing of said containers in shipping cartons.

In the merchandising of canned products, it has become customary to package a plurality of cans containing the same product or related pro-ducts in a single disposable paper board container in order to increase the sales volume of the seller and to provide convenience and economy for the consumer. An example of such a container adapted to hold six chimed cans is shown in U. S. Patent 2,523,985. It has now been found that it is frequently desirable to merchandise canned products in varying quantities, for instance, in quantities of three or six units. In response to this demand, collapsible paper board containers adapted to contain, for example, six cans have been designed with a perforated division at the bottom of the container so that the retailer or consumer may divide the container into two parts each containing three cans. Thus the consumer may purchase the exact quantity of goods desired without destroying the marketability of the remainder of the container.

Although the divisible container is an improvement over the indivisible container, the marketability'of the product is further enhanced if the retailer or consumer is not required to divide the container and may select containers that already have been divided by the producer. However, if the producer is required to produce and pack containers of varying sizes, additional packing and conveying equipment is needed which cannot be used at the most economical rate, thus decreasing the efficiency of the producers operation. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method whereby either divided or undivided containers may be packed as desired while utilizing the same packing and conveying equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is capable of packing either divided or undivided containers as may be desired and which may be adjusted quickly and easily to handle containers in either condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for slitting or dividing paper hoard containers which produces a clean cut for an extended period of time before sharpening is required.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby the control of the alignment of the divisible paper board containers during the slitting and packing steps is simplified and provided in part by the containers yet to be divided.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for slitting paper board containers which automatically divides each divisible container exactly at the perforated'joint connecting the halves of the divisible container independent of such wear as may occur in the slitting knife, conveyer, and guide rails.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby the slitter and conveyor mechanisms will not operate unless at least a predetermined number of containers are in place on the conveyor and unless a protective cover provided for the slitter is in place.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for slitting divisible containers which may be operated compatibly with conventional packing and conveying equipment and which requires no additional floor space.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a packing machine of conventional design which is adapted to load chimed cans into collapsible, divisible paper board containers and discharge the loaded containers in an upright position onto a conveyor mechanism. At the end of said conveyor mechanism there is provided a container righter of the twist type which rotates the loaded containers through an angle of and deposits them on another conveyor so that the top and bottom surfaces of the loaded containers are parallel to the edges of the conveyor. A container opener adapted to raise the upper half of the divisible container by pivoting it about a perforated joint between the two halves of the container and to hold the upper half in a partially open position is located intermediate of the ends of the conveyor and immediately in front of a flexible reciprocating vknife mounted in transverse relationship to the conveyor. At the terminal end of the conveyor is located a packer of conventional design adapted to receive divided or undivided containers.

In accordance with another feature of the invention the container opener and reciprocating slitting knife are so designed that the opener may be rotated away from the conveyor and the knife may be easily removed. Thus the opening and slitting steps may be eliminated quickly and easily when it is desired to pack the containers while in the undivided condition.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention sensing devices are provided in advance of the opening and slitting apparatus, and elsewhere as required to insure that an adequate supply of undivided containers exists to properly operate the opening and slitting apparatus and the packing machine.

In accordance with a still further feature of the invention a guard is provided to cover the slitting apparatus, the arrangement being such that the conveyor and slitting apparatus will not operate when the guard is not in position.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description thereof and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a packing and slitting apparatus in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view in elevation of a packing and slitting apparatus in accordance with this invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the conveyor mechanism showing the container opening apparatus and the slitting apparatus;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the conveyor, container opening apparatus and slitting apparatus shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, chimed cans which may contain beer, or the like, enter a packing machine 10, which may be of conventional design. In the packing machine 10 the can's'are loaded into collapsible paper board containers flat support for the loaded containers 11.

11 which are adapted to hold, for example, six cans. Said collapsible paper board containers 11 may comprise, essentially, two can holders of a type similar to that shown in Figure 1 of U. S. Patent 2,571,833 joined together at their inside bottom edges by aperforated joint so that the two halves of the six can container 11 may pivot about said perforated joint. The loaded containers 11 leave the packing machine and are deposited on the conveyor 12 in an upright position, i. e., the cans are upright and the perforated joint of the container 11 is adjacent to the surface of the conveyor 12. At the end of the conveyor 12 the loaded containers 11 pass through a 90 twist band righter 13 of well-known design and are deposited on a slider-bed conveyor indicated gener ally at 14 so that one half of each loaded container 11 lies above the other half and the top of the loaded container 11 lies substantially perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor belt 15 and parallel to the guide rail 16. The slider-bed conveyor 14 is designed to provide a firm Such support is provided by means of plate 17, which is fastened to the conveyor frame rails 18. The underside of the conveyor belt 15 rests upon the top surface of plate 17. Guide rails 16 are positioned parallel to the conveyor belt 15 and fastened to stanchions 19 which are in turn fastened to the conveyor frame rails 18. Said guide rails 16 are positioned a distance above the conveyor belt 15 approximately equal to one quarter the width of the loaded containers 11, i. e., at about the level of the axis of the cans in the lower half of the loaded containers 11. The horizontal distance between the guide rails 16 is slightly greater than the height of the loaded containers 11. Thus the loaded containers 11 are controlled on both ends by the guide rails 16 and on one side by the firmly supported conveyor belt 15. When the slider-bed conveyor 14 is operated at the appropriate speed, additional loaded containers 11 are backed up to one another, thereby providing firm support for the rearward side of each loaded container 11, and the line of loaded containers passes under a sensing switch 26, the function of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

A-container opener indicated generally at 21 is located on the slider bed conveyor 14 beyond said sensing switch 20. Said container opener 21 comprises a flat member 22 (Figure 4) adjustably fastened to the conveyor frame rail 18 so that the axis of said member 22 is located at an angle to theaxis of the guide rail 16 and conveyor belt 15. Adjustment is provided by means of the elongated slot 23 and the pivot 24 so that the member 22 may be set at any desired angle. An increase in the angle between the member 22 and a line perpendicular to the conveyor belt 15 results in a higher lift of the upper portion of the containers 11 as will be hereinafter more fully described. A wheel 25 is mounted on an axle 26 which in turn is slidably mounted in the member 22 so that the axis of the wheel 25 and the axle 26 is parallel to the axis of the member 22. Said wheel 25 may be made of friction material such as hard rubber or may have such material mounted on its outer periphery. If desired, the periphery of said wheel 25 may be knurled or otherwise roughened to increase the coeificient of friction between the wheel 25 and the loaded containers 11. The sliding axle 26 is held in longitudinal relation to the member 22 by means of a spring loaded 'pin 27 which may engage either a hole 28 or a hole 29 provided in the axle 26. The longitudinal dimension of the member 22 and the diameter of the wheel 25 are such that the wheel 25 frictionally engages the upper half of the loaded containers 11 when pin 27 engages hole 28 ofthe axle 26. Hole 29 is so located that when it is engaged with pin 27 the wheel 25 does not frictionally engage the loaded containers 11. As the loaded containers 11 are carried by the conveyor belt 15 past the friction wheel 25 of the container opener 21, the friction Wheel engages the upper portion of said loaded containers ,11. The wheel 25 .is-

thus driven by the upper portion of said loaded containers 11. Any point on the rim of said wheel 25 rotates in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wheel 25 and axle 26, and at an angle to the line of motion of said loaded containers 11. As a result of the angular relationship between the lines of motion of the wheel 25 and the upper portion of the loaded containers 11, the frictional force at the point of contact between the wheel 25 and the containers 11 has an unbalanced vertical component which causes the upper half of the loaded containers 11 to rise and pivot about the perforated joint at the bottom of said containers. It will be observed that as the angle between the plane of rotation of the wheel 25 and the line of motion of the loaded containers 1]. increases, the unbalanced vertical component of the frictional force will likewise increase, thus increasing the opening between the upper and lower portions of the loaded containers 11. The member 22 should preferably be set at such an angle with a line perpendicular to the conveyor belt that the minimum opening between the upper and lower portions of the loaded containers 11 is attained which is consistent with the proper operation of the roller mechanism hereinafter described since the feed through the container opener 21 is smoother when the member 22 is set in such a manner than when it is set to provide excessive opening.

Immediately beyond the container opener 21 on the conveyor 14 is located a roller mechanism indicated generally at 30 adapted to support the upper half of the loaded containers 11 in a partially pivoted or opened position. The roller mechanism 39 includes a block 31 adjustably mounted on conveyor frame rail 13 and having a vertical hold 32 bored therethrough. The upper end of the block 31 contains two slots 33 and 34 at right angles to one another and respectively parallel and perpendicular to the guide rails 16. A vertical rod 35 containing a horizontally disposed pin 36 is located in the block 31 so that the pin 36 engages either slot 33 or slot 34 as may be desired. The pin 36 of rod 35 is held .in engagement with either slot 33 or slot 34 by a compression spring 37 which is mounted on rod 35 and is constrained between lock nuts 38 and the lower end of block 31. A roller 39 is rotatably mounted at the upper end of rod 35. When rod 35 of the roller mechanism 30 is turned so that pin 36 engages slot 34, the roller 39 is iuCatcfl so that it lies between the upper and lower portions of the loaded containers 11 and supports the upper portion of said containers 11 in a partially open or tilted position when this portion of the container passes beyond the container opener 21. When rod 35 of the roller mechanism 31) is turned so that pin 36 engages slot 33, the roller 39 is moved away from supporting engagement with the loaded containers 11.

A slitting mechanism generally designated at 40 is located directly beyond the roller mechanism 39 on the conveyor 14 and includes a vertical shaft 41 journalled through a block 42 which is fastened to the conveyor frame rail 18. The lower end of the shaft 41 carries one member of a pair of right angle bevel gears 43, the other member of said pair being carried by a horizontal shaft 44 which is mounted in bearings 45 carried by plates 46 attached to the block 42 and frame rail '18, respectively. A spur gear 47, located at one end of shaft 44, is driven by an electric motor (not shown) through appropriate linkage 48. A small wheel 49 is keyed to the upper end of shaft 41 and carries an eccentrically mounted pin 50. Pin 50 serves .to support and drive one end of a flexible slitter blade 51, the other end of which is supported by a bar 52 adjustably mounted on conveyor frame rail 18 so that the slitter blade 51 is angularly disposed across the conveyor 14 in a substantially horizontal plane. The undriven end of the flexible slitter blade 51 contains an elongated slot 53 through which a stud 54 of bar .52 passes A wing nut 55 mounted :on .stud 54 restrains .theslitter blade 51 while-allowing it to oscillate and reciprocate with respect to the stud 54. The driven end of the flexible slitter blade 51 is secured to the pin 50 by an internally threaded rod 56, the free end of which carries a handwheel 57. The flexible slitter blade 51 is so positioned that the undriven end is at the level of the perforated joint of the loaded containers 11 while the driven end is slightly above this level. Thus as the partially open containers leave the roller mechanism 30, the flexible slitter blade 51 is inserted between the halves of the container and the said halves close thereafter. This closing causes the flexible slitter blade 51 to bend slightly so that a razor edge 58.

contacts the container 11 exactly at the perforated joint. The cutting portion of said flexible slitter blade 51 may be integral with the blade or may be a separate and replaceable razor edge, as desired. Furthermore, the razor edge 58 may be flat, scalloped or serrated. The slitting mechanism herein described includes means for driving one end of the flexible slitting blade 51. In order to preclude any tendency of the blade 51 to buckle, driving means similar to the eccentrically driven pin 50 used on the driven end of the blade 51 may be adapted for use :also on the undriven end of said slitter blade 51.

While it is preferable to provide for at least a small amount of longitudinal motion in the slitter blade 51 since such motion increases the length of the razor edge 58 which contacts the perforated joint of the loaded containers 11 and thereby extends the period of usefulness of the razor edge before resharpening or replacement is required, the slitter blade 51 may, if desired, be un-' driven, in which case each end of the slitter blade 51 may be supported by means similar to those previously described for the undriven end of the slitter blade.

' After passing the slitting mechanism, the now divided loaded containers 11 continue along the slider-bed conveyor 14 and enter a final packer 59 of conventional type and which is capable of handling either divided or undivided containers. However, in order for the packer 59 to function properly, the two halves of each divided container 11 should be aligned in the same manner as though the containers were in the undivided condition. To determine that such alignment has been maintained, it may be desirable to provide an additional sensing switch 60 at the end of the conveyor 14 which will sense the V proper alignment of the top half of the divided container 11 to correspond with the lower half of the container as indicated by sensing switch 61.

Any tendency toward misalignment of the upper and lower halves of the divided loaded containers 11 will be due in large measure to the inherent resistance offered by the slitting mechanism. As has been previously pointed out, the side of the loaded container 11 which is adjacent to the conveyor belt 15 is positively supported by the conveyor belt. Lateral or twisting motion of the loaded container 11 is prevented by guide rails 16 which constrain the loaded containers 11 to motion parallel to said guide rails 16. As long as the loaded containers 11 remain undivided and positioned so that one half lies above the other half, there is no tendency for the two halves to sufler misalignment. However, in passing through the slitting mechanism, the upper half of the loaded container may be subjected to the tendency of lateral or rearward displacement. The tendency to shift in a lateral direction is countered by upper guide rails 62 mounted directly above and parallel to the guide rails 16.

Rearward displacement is countered by the several undivided loaded containers 11 which are located directly behind one another on the conveyor 14. In order to insure proper alignment when the divided containers reach the final packer 59, at least a minimum number of undivided containers 11 should be located on the conveyor in advance of the slitting mechanism 40. Sensing switch 20 is so located that the number of containers 11 between it and the slitting device is suflicient to insure the proper alignment of the divided containers when they reach the packer 59. As an example, when containers 11 are adapted to contain six twelve ounce cans, satisfactory results have been obtained when seven such containers are provided behind the packer sensing switches 60 and 61 with three of such containers lying behind the slitting mechanism 40. The sensing switches 20, 60 and 61 may be connected so as to prevent the operation of the packer 59 unless a sufficient number of loaded containers 11 are present and continuously available to satisfy the said sensing switches 20, 60 and 61.

It is also desirable to provide a transparent guard 63 having a hinged top cover over the slitting mechanism 40 to minimize the probability of injury to the operators of the equipment. A further sensing switch 64 may be utilized to prevent the operation of the slitting and packing equipment when the slitter guard 63 is not in the proper position.

When it is desired to pack divided containers, the slitter blade 51 is located in position across the conveyor belt 15 and the container opener 21 and roller mechanism are set to contact the containers 11. The sensing switches may be bypassed by an appropriate by-pass switch (not shown) until a suflicient number of containers 11 have passed over conveyor 12 to conveyor 14 so that the containers 11 are backed up to the sensing switch 20. The process is thereafter continuous and includes the steps of packing individual chimed cans into collapsible divisible paper board containers 11 containing, for example, six cans, conveying the containers while in an upright position through a 90 twist righter, conveying the containers now in a position where one half of each of the containers rests upon the other half to a container opener, partially opening or tilting each of the containers in turn by pivoting the upper half about the lower half of each of said containers, slitting each of said containers along the common joint connecting the halves of each container, and packing said divided containers in shipping cartons.

When it is desired to shut down the operation and clear the packing machine 59, sensing switch 20 may be bypassed so as not to stop the operation when the minimum accumulation of containers exists on the conveyor 14.

If it should be desired to pack the divisible containers in the undivided condition, it is merely necessary to remove the flexible slitter blade 51, rotate the roller mechanism 30 through an angle of 90 and raise the wheel 25 of the container opener 21 so that pin 27 engages hole 29. The packing process may now be carried out as previously described except that the steps of opening the containers and slitting same will be omitted.

The apparatus herein disclosed and described provides one means whereby the novel process of packing divisible containers in the divided condition may be practiced, which process includes the step of pivoting or tilting one portion of the divisible container with respect to the other portion thereof, holding the two portions of the container in a partially pivoted or tilted position with respect to each other, and slitting the container along the junction line of the portions thereof. It will be appreciated that an important aspect of the process lies in dividing the divisible containers and maintaining the portions thereof in precisely the same relation to each other as obtains when the portions are undivided so that the divided containers may be treated in subsequent operations as though they were undivided.

It is apparent that the novel method and apparatus herein disclosed and described provide means whereby either divided or undivided containers may be packed with a minimum change-over time from one type to the other. Thus a considerable merchandising advantage is attained without entailing a duplication of expensive conis compatible with existing plant layouts for packing and conveying equipment and does not require additional floor space.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for dividing collapsible, divisible paper board containers carried on a conveyor, opening means disposed in the path of the containers and arranged to contact a first portion of each of said divisible containers, to pivot said portion of said divisible containers through an acute angle about a second portion of said divisible containers along a common joint between said portions and to maintain said portions of said divisible containers in a partially open position and slitting means disposed in the path of the containers adjacent to said opening means and arranged to separate said portions of said containers along the common joint thereof.

2. In an apparatus for conveying, dividing and packing collapsible, divisible paper board containers, a conveyor which receives and conveys laterally disposed, divisible paper board containers, opening means disposed in the path of containers carried on said conveyor and arranged to contact an upper portion of said divisible containers, to pivot said upper portion through an acute angle about the lower portion of said divisible containers, and to maintain said upper portion of said container in a partially open position, slitting means disposed in the path of containers carried on said conveyor adjacent to said opening means and adapted to separate said upper portion of said container from the lower portion of said container along the common joint thereof, and packing means adjacent to the delivery end of said conveyor adapted to pack said divided containers in shipping cartons.

3. In an apparatus for conveying, dividing and packing collapsible, divisible paper board containers, a conveyor which receives and conveys laterally disposed, divisible paper board containers, opening means disposed in the path of containers carried on said conveyor comprising an angularly disposed, adjustable friction wheel adapted to engage a lateral surface of the upper portion of said divisible container thereby causing said upper portion of said divisible container to pivot about the junction between said upper portion and the lower portion of said divisible container and an adjustable, rotatable roller disposed in the path of said containers immediately beyond said friction wheel to support said upper portion of said divisible container in a partially open position, slitting means fastened to said conveyor'adjacent to said opening means and adapted to separate said upper portion of said container from said lower portion along the common joint thereof, and packing means adjacent to the end of said conveyor adapted to pack said containers in shipping cartons, said angularly disposed friction wheel being axially adjustable and said rotatable cam :follower being rotatably adjustable whereby said opening means may be easily rendered inoperative.

4. in an apparatus for conveying, dividing and packing collapsible, divisible paper board containers, a conveyor which receives and conveys laterally disposed, divisible paper board containers, opening means disposed in the path of the containers carried on said conveyor and arranged to pivot the upper portion of said divisible container through an acute angle about the lower portion of said divisible container and to maintain said upper portion of said container in a partially open position, slitting means comprising a sharpened, removable slitting blade positioned substantially in a horizontal plane across and at an angle to said conveyor so that said slitting blade passes between the upper and lower portions of said divisible container contacting and dividing said container along the junction line between said upper and lower portions of said container and packing means adjacent to the end of said conveyor adapted to pack said containers into shipping cartons.

5. In an apparatus for conveying, dividing and packing collapsible, divisible paper board containers, a conveyor which receives and conveys laterally disposed, divisible paper board containers, opening means disposed in the path of the containers carried on said conveyor and arranged to pivot the upper portion of said divisible container through an acute angle about the lower portion of said divisible container and to maintain said upper portion of said container in a partially open position, slitting means comprising a sharpened, removable slitting blade positioned substantially in a horizontal plane across and at an angle to said conveyor and having at least one end driven so that said slitter blade passes between the upper and lower portions of said divisible container contacting and dividing said container along the junction line between said upper and lower portions of said containers with a substantially reciprocating motion, and packing means adjacent to the end of said conveyor adapted to pack said containers into shipping cartons.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,731,776 Currie Jan. 24, 1956 

